Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of treatment for patients after exposure of their skin to a high dose of ionizing radiation, the treatment resulting in lowered morbidity and mortality of the patient.
Description of the Prior Art
Radiation skin injury is a significant medical and industrial problem. This injury, often referred to as radiation dermatitis, occurs in about 95% of patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer. Workers in a nuclear plant or citizens living near sites with radioactive material may also accidentally come into physical contact with exposed radioactive material as a result of natural disasters or man-made events.
Radiation skin injuries in some ways are different from total body radiation in that the patient's vital organs may be spared (including the bone marrow where new blood cells are to be produced.) However, patients suffering from radiation skin injuries typically also suffer other injuries, the combined effect can be major morbidity and even mortality. In patients suffering from only radiation skin injury, the result ranges in severity: from mild erythema to moist desquamation and ulceration. Currently, there are no effective treatments to prevent the ill effects after radiation skin injury has occurred.
One attempt to mitigate the severity of radiation skin injury was reported by Takikawa M et al. in J Radiat Res. 2012; 53(3):385-94. “Protective Effect of Prostaglandin E1 on Radiation-Induced Proliferative Inhibition and Apoptosis in Keratinocytes and Healing of Radiation-Induced Skin Injury in Rats.” They reported that X-irradiation at a dose of 20 Gy induced epilation, minor erosions, and skin ulcers in rats. Prostaglandin E1 has some protective effect only if it is administered 30 minutes to one hour before irradiation. It apparently has no beneficial effect when administered after exposure of the skin to a high dose of radiation. Since few patients know when they will come into contact with a highly radioactive material, this compound is of limited use in realistic situations.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a nanoparticle radiation treatment that allows treating radiation skin injury.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved nanoparticle radiation treatment that can be used for treating radiation skin injury. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the nanoparticle radiation treatment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provide an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of treating radiation skin injury.